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University of Missouri

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    • Rolla, Missouri, United States of America
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• History & Memorable Moments

In 1839, the Missouri legislature passed the Geyer Act to establish funds for a state university. It would be the first public university west of the Mississippi River. The year of its founding, the citizens of Columbia and Boone County pledged $117,921 in cash and land to beat out five other central Missouri counties for the location of the state university. The land on which the University was eventually constructed was just south of Columbia's downtown and owned by James S. Rollins, who is known as the "Father of the University." It was the first public university in Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase and was designed in part upon Jefferson's original plans for the University of Virginia. Jefferson's original tombstone was given to Mizzou by his heirs in July 1883. Francis Quadrangle, featuring the Columns and Jesse Hall, prior to the movement of construction equipment into this area for the Reynolds Journalism Institute. ^[1]

In 1864, while in the midst of the Civil War, the board of curators suspended operations of the University. It was during this time that the residents of Columbia formed a "home guard" unit that became notoriously known as the "Fighting Tigers of Columbia". This name was given because of the group's steadfast readiness to fight against any form of invading force that was hoping to plunder the city and university. Later, in 1890, an alumnus suggested the University's newly-formed football team be called the "Tigers" out of respect for those who fought to defend Columbia. The College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources was opened. In 1888 the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station opened. This grew to encompass ten centers and research farms around central Missouri. MU soon added schools of law and medicine. ^[1]

On January 9, 1892, Academic Hall, the institution's main building, fell victim to a disastrous fire rumored to have been caused by one of Edison's first electric generators. The fire completely gutted the building, leaving little more than six stone Ionic columns standing. After the fire, there was a campaign to move the University to Sedalia; however, Columbia was able to rally against the move. The columns, which still stand today, became a symbol of the campus and form the center of Francis Quadrangle, the oldest part of campus. At the southern end of the quad is Academic Hall's replacement, Jesse Hall. Built in 1895, Jesse Hall is home to many administrative offices of the University and to Jesse Auditorium. The area of campus around the quadrangle, where the buildings are built of red brick, is known as "red campus." East of the quadrangle, many buildings were built in 1913 and 1914 of white limestone. This section is known as "white campus." In 1908 the world's first journalism school was opened at MU. It became famous worldwide for its "Missouri Method" of teaching. In 1911, MU held the first homecoming when Athletic Director, Chester Brewer, invited alumni to "come home" for a spirit rally, a parade, and the football game between MU and the University of Kansas. After World War II, universities around the country grew at an extraordinary pace and MU was no exception. This was due in part to the G.I. Bill, which allowed veterans to attend college with the assistance of the federal government. ^[1]

Events at the University were instrumental in the desegregation of universities and schools nationwide. In the winter of 1935, four graduates of Lincoln University—a traditionally black school about 30 miles (50 km) away in Jefferson City—were denied admission to MU's graduate school. One of the students, Lloyd L. Gaines, brought his case to the United States Supreme Court. On December 12, 1938, in a landmark 6–2 decision, the court ordered the State of Missouri to admit Gaines to MU's law school or provide a facility of equal stature. Gaines, however, disappeared in Chicago on March 19, 1939 under suspicious circumstances. The University granted Gaines a posthumous honorary law degree in May 2006. Undergraduate divisions were integrated by court order in 1950, when the University was compelled to admit African Americans to courses that were not offered at Lincoln University. ^[1]

In 1963, the University of Missouri officially added Columbia to its name to fit the naming scheme of the newly created four-campus University of Missouri System. However, on 29 November 2007, the Board of Curators voted unanimously to allow MU to drop Columbia from its name in promotional media in response to a campaign started by MU faculty, administration, and alumni who felt the university might be perceived as a regional institution due to its name. The name University of Missouri-Columbia will still be used for official business. Such a campaign had long been dormant, but was revived when the University of Missouri–Rolla was allowed to change its name for similar reasons. ^[1]

MU has more than 240,000 living alumni worldwide, almost half of which continue to reside in Missouri. ^[1]

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